Adjustable watch band clasp



Sept. 5, 1967 M. CAMPAIOLA 3,339,248

ADJUSTABLE WATCH BAND CLASP Filed April 26, 1966 FIG.1

I NVENTOR.

Michael Campaiola ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,339,248 ADJUSTABLE WATCH BAND CLASP Michael Campaiola, South Ozone Park, N.Y., assignor to Michael Campaiola, Paul Berchan and Morris Lamm, all of New York, N.Y., doing business as L.B.C. Watch Case & Jewelry Co.

Filed Apr. 26, 1966, Ser. No. 545,475 3 Claims. (Cl. 24-74) This invention relates to improvements in clasps for adjustable watch bands or straps and the like.

Heretofore, clasps have been made for watch bands which tend to close when the person attempts to insert the free or opposite end of the band in the clasp while the watch band is on the Wrist so that it becomes difficult to insert such free end of the band into the clasp.

An object of this invention is to provide a clasp which presents an open slot to readily introduce the loose or free end of the band into the clasp when the top plate of the clasp is opened to adjustably fasten the free end within the clasp.

Another object is to permit a person to close the watch band and readily adjust it to the size of his wrist with one hand, that is the hand not wearing the wrist or watch band.

A further object is to-provide a pressure plate within and at the base of the clasp to retain the free end of the band within the clasp in fixed and non-movable position and prevent excessive wear upon the free or loose end resulting from frequent closing of the clasp at a designated portion of the loose end.

A further object is to provide a clasp whereby the loose end of the band will be disposed firmly within the clasp in a neat and attractive manner so that the loose end is not visible when the band is worn upon the wrist.

Still a further object is in the provision of a clasp with side portions so that the clasp can be readily grasped and moved for adjusting, releasing and holding the loose end of the band.

Other objects will become obvious and in part pointed out in the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the clasp taken through line 11 of FIG. 2 showing the loose end of the band held in position within the clasp.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the clasp with a portion of the watch band cut away.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the clasp showing a modification of the loose end of the band; and

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the clasp shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with a portion of the band cut away.

Referring to the drawing, numeral represents the clasp comprising a metal plate 11 and provided along its upper and lower edges with outwardly turned flanges 12 and 13 provided near their ends and in vertical align- Inent with apertures 14 and 18.

The ends of the band to which the clasp is applied are extended between the flanges 12, 13 and along the back side of the clasp. Opposed shoulders 33 are provided along flanges 12, 13 for the purpose as will hereinafter be described. The fixed end of the band or strap designated at 15 being held by a plate or member 16 consisting of a metal plate that is fitted between the flanges 12, 13 and provided at opposite edges with pins or mountings 17 which are pivotally contained in apertures 18 and which has a laterally turned edge 19 provided with end teeth adapted, when the plate -16 is pressed inwardly against the plate 11 to engage and firmly hold the end 15 of the band.

The metal or base plate 11 is on two levels with a rear and fore portions, the fore portion 11' being lower than 3,339,248 Patented Sept. 5, 1967 the rear portion providing an opening 21 the width of the clasp between the two portions of the base plate 11 to permit the loose end of the band to pas-s therethrough. The fore end of the clasp also has an opening 22 slightly wider than the width of the band between the lower fore portion 11' of the base plate 11 and a clasp bar 23 extending between the flanges 12, 13 and pivotally supported at its ends in apertures 14. This clasp bar 23 has a clip plate 24 extending therefrom whereby it may be turned so that the end of the clasp bar 23 will depress or release a pressure plate 25, hereinafter described. Openings 21 and 22 are in alignment creating a channel above the lower fore portion base plate 11' to permit insertion of the free end 20 of the band.

Pressure plate 25 is positioned between flanges 12, 13

and upon the base plate 11 and has a downwardly turned end 26 positioned against the back end 27 of base plate 11 and a downwardly directed shoulder 28 approximately at its central portion the width of base plate 11 so that pressure plate 25 is seated upon base plate 11 between the downwardly turned end 26 and shoulder 28. The fore part 29 of pressure plate 25 has an upwardly turned end 30 and is spaced from the lower portion 11' of the base plate 11 slightly larger than the thickness of the band 20 so there is always an opening at the fore part of the clasp when the watch band is opened or off the wrist to readily permit the free end 20 of the band to be inserted into the opening in order to attach the band to the wrist. The upwardly turned end 30 of the plate 25 directs the end 20 of the band into the opening 22.

' When the free end 20 of the band is inserted in the opening 22, it is moved towards the back end of the clasp until the watch band is tightened around the wrist to the degree desired by the wearer. The clip plate 24 is then rotated toward the back end of the clasp causing the end of the clasp bar 23 to rotate within the arc of upwardly turned end 30 and depress the fore part 29 of the pressure plate, as shown in FIG. 1, and causing the end of the band 20 to be clamped against movement between the fore part 29 of the pressure plate and the lower fore portion 11' of the base plate.

Since the wearer will tighten the band at approximately the same part all the time, it is obvious that the free end 20 of the band will receive wear at about the same place. The pressure plate 25 reduces the wear at that portion, providing longer life to the watch band.

Many watch bands are made of metal and in order to obtain a positive locking action, an area adjacent the free end of the band 20 is die stamped providing a series of lateral depressions 31, one of which will fall into an inwardly raised lateral ridge 32 in the lower fore portion of base plate 11' so that the end 20 of the band can be moved only when the plate 24 is raised to release the fore part 29 of pressure plate 25. In certain types of materials used for watch bands, the depressions 31 may be eliminated and the ridge 32 retained.

It should be noted that the free end 20 of the band, when in closed position, lies beneath the clasp 10 and the fixed end 15 of the band lies beneath plates 16 and 24 so that neither of the ends 15, 20 are exposed when the band is worn, thus greatly enhancing the appearance of the clasp and watch band.

The clasp shown in FIG. 3 is identical to the one shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, except for the inwardly raised ridge 32 which has been eliminated. With watch bands of certain known materials, it may be desirable to eliminate ridge 32 since accidental release of the clasp cannot take place.

While this clasp was primarily designed and constructed for watch bands and bracelets, it is obvious that it can be used for other purposes, such as belts, ornamental necklaces and the like.

I claim:

1. A clasp for a band or strap having a fixed and free end, said clasp comprising a base plate having a rear and fore end with outwardly turned opposed flanges at its upper and lower edges, a first opening between said rear and fore ends, a plate member supported between said flanges at one end of said clasp for fixedly clamping one end of said band, a hingedly movable clasp bar mounted between said flanges at the other end of said clasp, a pressure plate seated upon the rear end of said base plate between said fore end and said clip plate with its fore end spaced apart from the fore end of said base plate providing a second opening to receive the free end of said band, said clasp bar having a clip plate as its swinging end extending beyond its mountings for depressing the free end of said pressure plate for adjustably clamping the free end of said band, said flanges having two pairs of front and rear opposed apertures, said plate member having pins at opposite edges pivotally contained in said rear apertures of said pairs of apertures and a turned edge provided with teeth adapted to engage when pressed inwardly said fixed end of said band, said fore portion of said base plate being lower than said rear portion providing said first opening between said fore and rear plate portions, said second opening being slightly wider than the Width of the band providing a channel for said band above said fore portion of said base plate, said clip plate having pins at opposite edges which are pivotally contained in the front apertures, said pressure plate having a downwardly turned end positioned against the back end of said base plate and has a downwardly directed shoulder at approximately its central portion and an upwardly turned extremity, the fore part of said pressure plate being spaced from said lower portion of said base plate slightly greater than the thickness of said band whereby when the free end of said band is inserted through said openings into said channel and said clip plate is rotated downwardly said clasp bar depresses the fore end of said pressure plate clamping the end of said band between the fore part of said pressure plate and said fore portion of said base plate.

2. The clasp as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fore part of said base plate has an inwardly raised lateral ridge to obtain a more positive locking action of the band by clamping it between said upwardly turned end of said pressure plate and said raised lateral ridge.

3. The clasp as set forth in claim 2, wherein said band has a series of lateral depressions adapted to receive said raised lateral ridge for positively locking said band within said clasp.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 235,200 12/1880 Bishop 24-74 FOREIGN PATENTS 534,201 1/ 1955 Belgium. 1,141,618 9/1957 France.

23,793 11/ 1905 Great Britain.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CLASP A BAND OF STRAP HAVING A FIXED AND FREE END, SAID CLASP COMPRISING A BASE PLATE HAVING A REAR AND FORE END WITH OUTWARDLY TURNED OPPOSWS FLANGES AT ITS UPPER AND LOWER EGES, A FIRST OPENING BETWEEN SAID AND FORE ENDS, A PLATE MEMBER SUPPORTED BETWEEN SAID FLANGES AT ONE OF SAID CLASP FOR FIXEDLY CLAMPING ONE END OF SAID BAND, A HINGEDLY MOVABLE CLASP BAR MOUNTED BETWEEN SAID FLANGES AT THE OTHER END OF SAID CLASP, A PRESSURE PLATE SEATED UPON THE REAR END OF SAID BASE PLATE BETWEEN SAID FORE END AND SAID CLIP PLATE WITH ITS FORE END SPACED APART FROM THE FORE END OF SAID BASE PLATE PROVIDING A SECOND OPENING TO RECEIVE THE FREE END OF SAID BAND, SAID CLASP BAR HAVING A CLIP PLATE AS ITS SWINGING END EXTENDING BEYOND ITS MOUNTINGS FOR DEPRESSING THE FREE AND OF SAID PRESSURE PLATE FOR ADJUSTABLY CLAMPING THE FREE END OF SAID BAND, SAID FLANGES HAVING TWO PAIRS OF FRONT AND REAR OPPOSED APERTURES, SAID PLATE MEMBER HAVING PINS AT OPPOSITE EDGES PIVOTALLY CONTAINED IN SAID REAR APERTURES OF SAID PAIRS OF APERTURES AND A TURNED EDGE PROVIDED WITH TEETH ADAPTED TO ENGAGE WHEN PRESSED INWARDLY SAID FIXED END OF SAID BAND, SAID FORE PORTION OF SAID BASE PLATE BEING LOWER THAN SAID REAR PORTION PROVIDING SAID FIRST OPENING BETWEEN SAID FORE AND REAR PLATE PORTIONS, SAID SECOND OPENING BEING SLIGHTLY WIDER THAN 